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Jamal Shah announces to launch dedicated heritage channel

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NNPS Desk
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Jamal Shah

ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP): Minister for Culture and National Heritage Jamal Shah Tuesday announced the launching of a dedicated heritage channel for the promotion of regional literature in the country.

He was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day conference titled ‘Hum Jugnu Taaray Dharti Ke’ at the Pakistan Academy of Letters here.

Jamal Shah said that the channel will provide a platform for children across the country to learn and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan. It will also help to promote unity and understanding among different ethnic and linguistic groups.

“The channel will include translated versions of different genres of regional literature, including parables, adages, poetry, and music, so that youth in every part of the country, speaking any language, can understand the essence of the folk wisdom of our culturally diverse country,” he said.

The minister added that the literature would also be published in the form of books and magazines, and that the services of musicians and linguists of the relevant languages would be hired for this purpose.

The conference began with a puppet show demonstrating playful rhymes, lullabies, and traditional ballads of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Over the next two days, the conference will deliberate on ways to promote children’s literature in regional languages. Recreational programs for children like skits and folk dances are also part of the conference.

Pakistan Navy provides fishing map to fishermen for enhanced safety

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NNPS Desk
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KARACHI, Sep 19 (APP): Pakistan National Hydrographic Office in coordination with the Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) and WWF-Pakistan distributed an indigenously developed fishing map to local fishermen in Karachi during a ceremony held at the Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC) here on Tuesday.

The maps are specifically designed to identify ghost nets to support the safe conduct of fishing activities by local fishermen and the preservation of fish in our seas.

A ghost net is a fishing net that has been lost or abandoned in the ocean and can pose a significant threat to marine life and vessels of fishermen, a Pakistan Navy news release said.

The indigenously developed fishing map can easily be viewed on open-source Android and IOS-based navigation applications. Copies of the fishing map and mobile application along with its easily understandable installation procedure have been made available to the local fishermen community through JMICC free of charge. This initiative is part of the Office of Hydrographer of Pakistan and the Pakistan Navy’s ongoing efforts to support Pakistan’s fishing community and the preservation of Pakistan’s marine environment.

The fishing map includes vital information such as the precise positions of ghost nets and unsafe fishing areas. This will assist fishermen in making safe maneuvers at sea.

The provision of crucial information about the location of ghost nets will enable fishermen to avoid areas unsuitable for fishing activity and reduce the risk of breakdowns of boats at sea. The map will also help in preserving marine ecosystems by preventing further damage to fish livestock/ species at sea from ghost nets.

ECC approves projected salary of first 6 months of PSM

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NNPS Desk
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ECC

ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP): The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) authorized Finance Division to approve the payment of projected net salary for the first six months of the Financial Year 2023-24 to be disbursed according to the salary demand of Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM) for every month from already approved budgetary allocation of Rs. 10 billion.

The Caretaker Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, & Economic Affairs Dr. Shamshad Akhtar chaired the meeting of the ECC, said a press release issued here.

The ECC considered a summary of Ministry of Industries & Production regarding “Approval for Disbursement of Salary of Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM) Employees for the Financial Year 2023-24”.

Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives gave a briefing about the trends of Major economic Indicators and trends in the Prices of important food items.

The ECC directed Ministry of National Food Security and Research to prepare and submit regular reports on the availability of stocks, consumption, and pricing of all staple items specially wheat and sugar to the ECC in order to enable it to monitor the availability and pricing of these important commodities.

The ECC also directed the Ministry of Planning, Development, & Special Initiatives to ensure control of undue profiteering and to maintain the gap between wholesale & retail prices of essential food items and consumer products through respective Chief Secretaries.

A summary of Ministry of Energy was also considered regarding “Transition of London Inter Bank Offer Rate (LIBOR) to Secured over Night Financing Rate (SOFR)”. The ECC, after discussion, directed the Ministry of Energy to prepare a detailed analysis of the financial implications of this decision and bring it in the next ECC meeting for discussion and approval.

Sami Saeed, Minister for Planning, Development and special Initiatives, Gohar Ijaz, Minister for Commerce, Industries, and production, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Minister for Communication, Maritime, and Railways, Muhammad Ali, Minister for Power and Petroleum, Umar Saif, Minister of IT and Telecommunication, Advisor to PM on Finance Dr. Waqar Masood, Governor SBP, Chairman SECP, Federal Secretaries and other senior officers attended the meeting.

Matters regarding restructuring of PIA discussed

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Amjad Shafique
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Fawad Hasan Fawad
ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP):Caretaker Minister for Privatization Fawad Hasan Fawad on Tuesday chaired a meeting with different stakeholders regarding restructuring of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) leading to a privatization process.
Advisor to PM on Aviation along with key members of his team, senior management and legal and financial consultants of PIA were also present, said a press release.
Clear timelines regarding the process were agreed with a view to meet the target set by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, it added.

Shah commends Austrian Climber for raising US$ 170,000 in funds for Pakistani porter children

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NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP): Minister of State on Tourism Wasi Shah on Tuesday commended the efforts of Austrian Climber Wilhelm Steindl for raising US$ 170,000 in funds for the children of Pakistani porter Muhammad Hassan who lost his life during the K2 expedition.

Wasi Shah, along with Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov, Ambassador’s Spouse Tarana Farhadova and Dr. Hannes MACHOR, Minister Plenipotentiary/DHM officiating as the Chargé d’Affaires and Managing Director PTDC Aftab ur Rehman Rana in a ceremony held to recognize the efforts of Steindl for the family of the late porter Muhammad Hassan, said a press release.

Hassan tragically lost his life during an expedition on K2. After his death, one of the mountaineers Wilhelm Steindl ended his summit midway and returned to his home country where he started a campaign with the name “Give me Fund for them” to financially help Hassan’s family and collected US$170,000 to support them.

Shah expressed his admiration for Steindl’s selfless commitment and said, “What truly amazed and inspired me was Steindl’s selfless dedication to Hassan and his family, despite not being Pakistani. He took concrete steps to establish a Give Me Fund for them. At a time when many are consumed by self-interest, individuals like Steindl have reaffirmed my faith in humanity.”

However, despite these efforts, my heart remains heavy as my organization couldn’t do everything that should have been done for Muhammad Hassan and his family, he said.

He said there was no formal arrangement for porters however after he assumed charge of the Ministry of Tourism, PTDC made significant progress in establishing a mountain training center in collaboration with Gilgit-Baltistan University, with Mr. Steindl ‘s full support.

Shah said, previously, there was no provision for insurance of porters in case of accidents, leaving families like Muhammad Hassan’s without any financial support however after extensive meetings with stakeholders in Islamabad and Skardu, the government agreed on a minimum insurance coverage of Rs 3 million for porters, but he is still working towards increasing it to Rs 5 million.

He appreciated Steindl, on behalf of every Pakistani, and said “Your actions exemplify the best of what humans can achieve when they come together for a common cause”.

In response, Steindl shared his commitment to continue supporting the family of the late porter Muhammad Hassan and announced his plans to establish a school for porters in the near future. He expressed his gratitude to the minister for the warm welcome extended to him in Pakistan.

Uncontrolled population threat multiplier for Pakistan: Sherry

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NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP): Senator Sherry Rehman on Tuesday said the country must reframe discussions around family planning and population management, which was not a controversial issue but an essential component of development, whereas an uncontrolled population was a threat multiplier for the country.

Senator Sherry Rehman delivered a keynote speech centered on the theme of “Population & National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023”, at the 9th Meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population Council.

In her remarks, she unpacked crucial aspects of population management, population control stigmas, women’s empowerment, climate resilience, and the role of public-private partnerships. She said, “Political parties and all other stakeholders should unite to champion effective population management.”

Sherry said, “Empowering women to make decisions about their families is paramount. Initiated and designed by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto to address population growth, the Lady Health Workers Programme plays a pivotal role today in delivering health services. The dedication and work of Lady Health Workers should be acknowledged. The programme has the capacity to address the challenge of a growing population and raise public awareness.”

“Pakistan’s high population growth rate has impeded our progress. Slowing down population growth is essential for sustainable development.” She added, “Population data forms the cornerstone of informed decision-making. It must be accurate, widely accepted, and a shared knowledge base for our population management and planning efforts,” Sherry said.

She said, “Our population’s vulnerability to climate change underscores the need for effective population management. Growing populations multiply the climate-related challenges because uncontrolled population growth is a threat multiplier.”

“Investing in human capital, especially our youth’s education and skills development, is critical for our country’s growth. Public-private partnerships can be a game-changer in addressing population challenges and leveraging digital technology for outreach and services,” she concluded.

The 9th Meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population Council brought together policymakers, experts, and organizations to address critical issues related to population management and development in Pakistan.

PBF urges authorities to open transit trade via 250 boarder Iran being shortest route

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Amjad Shafique
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PBF
QUETTA, Sep 19 (APP):Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) President Turbat, Maqbool Alam Noori, said on Tuesday that it is the right time to open transit trade via the 250 Border Iran, as it is the shortest route from Karachi to Central Asia.
He expressed these views in a statement issued here, saying that opening the 250-border connection to Gwadar for transit trade would be a beneficial move. It would provide a number of benefits and the shortest route from Karachi to Central Asia, which would reduce time and costs for businesses and consumers in both regions.
He said Gwadar is a deep-sea port located in Balochistan, Pakistan. It is the deepest port in the Arabian Sea and is strategically located at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping choke point. Gwadar is also the westernmost port in Pakistan and is close to the borders of Iran and Afghanistan.
Central Asia is a landlocked region that is bordered by Pakistan to the south, Russia to the north, China to the east, and the Caspian Sea to the west. The region is home to a number of countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. Central Asia is a rich region in terms of natural resources, but it is also underdeveloped, he said.
A PBF official said the 250-border connection to Gwadar for transit trade would provide a number of benefits for both Pakistan and Central Asia. For Pakistan, it would increase trade revenue and economic activity. It would also create jobs and boost development in Balochistan, which is one of the poorest provinces in Pakistan. For Central Asia, it would provide a shorter and more efficient route to access world markets. It would also reduce dependence on Russia and China for trade.
However, opening the 250-border connection to Gwadar for transit trade has the potential to be a game-changer for both Pakistan and Central Asia. It would provide a shorter and more efficient route for trade between the two regions, which would boost economic growth and development.
The PBF Turbat President also shared some specific benefits of opening the 250-border connection to Gwadar for transit trade, which include reduced trade costs and time for businesses and consumers in Pakistan and Central Asia. Increase trade revenue and economic activity for Pakistan.
Creation of jobs and boosted development in Balochistan. A shorter and more efficient route for Central Asia to access world markets and reduce dependence on Russia and China for trade was underlined.

Domki vows to provide quality health facilities in remote areas of Balochistan

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NNPS Desk
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QUETTA, Sep 19 (APP): Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki on Tuesday said measures were being taken to provide quality health facilities in all remote areas of the province.

He was speaking to World Health Organization (WHO) delegation led by WHO Country Head Dr. Palitha Mahipla which called on him and shed light on WHO projects in the health sector across the country including Balochistan.

Health Secretary Asfandyar Kakar, WHO Balochistan in-charge Dr. Asfandyar Sherani were also present on this occasion.

Caretaker Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki said that WHO has always cooperated with the provincial government in the field of health and appreciated the role of WHO.

He said that the Caretaker Government has made a comprehensive plan for the improvement of the health sector in the available time saying that providing health facilities to the population spread over the vast area of Balochistan is no less than a challenge.

However, with full diligence and good intentions, the government was trying to provide quality health facilities in all remote areas of the province, he said.

The Caretaker Chief Minister said that the available data proves that the maternal mortality rate in Balochistan is higher than all other provinces saying that we have to overcome such a serious situation with mutual cooperation.

The CM said that for the reporting of maternal mortality rate in government hospitals in rural and urban areas, approval will be taken from the cabinet after the opinion of the law department and every possible effort will be made to achieve the goals of routine immunization.

He also assured that necessary steps will be taken on WHO’s recommendation to deploy vaccinators and LHVs for field work including routine immunization.

CM said the provincial government would provide all possible support and assistance to WHO where and when needed.

CM Domki directs secretaries to take steps to provide relief to masses

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NNPS Desk
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QUETTA, Sep 19 (APP): Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki on Tuesday directed all secretaries in the province to take practical steps to provide maximum relief to the masses.

“All the officers concerned should ensure compliance with regulations and policies in departmental affairs,” said the CM while chairing a meeting here.

The administrative secretaries of various departments including Livestock, Agriculture, Fisheries, Communications, and Forest briefed the CM about issues faced by them.

CM Domki instructed the concerned officials to utilize all their abilities to address public problems at the district level so that they would not suffer difficulties in the areas.

DC for continuing crackdown against power pilferers

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Amjad Shafique
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power pilferers
FAISALABAD, Sep 19 (APP):Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Nayyer Sheikh on Tuesday directing to continue a strict crackdown against power pilferers, said that the elements involved in this crime should be dealt with iron hands so that no one could dare of electricity stealing.
Presiding over a meeting, he directed for sending power pilferers behind bars after registration of cases besides checking of commercial connections.
It was told during the meeting that 404 power pilferers have been caught during the last 10 days. As many as 290 others have been booked, out of which, 14 have been arrested.
As many as 1,209,000 units costing of Rs 6.9 million has been recovered from the power pilferers as detection bills.
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